Crazy Pineapple - How to Play Crazy Pineapple is an exciting variation of Hold'em. The major differences are the three pocket cards and the requirement that one pocket card must be discarded after the flop!
General Rules & Sequence of Action for Crazy Pineapple
- Each player is dealt three cards face-down (pocket cards)
- First betting round
- Dealer turns over three community boardcards (the flop) face-up
- Second betting round
- All players must discard one pocket card
- Dealer turns over 1 more community boardcard (the turn)
- Third betting round
- Dealer turns over 1 final community boardcard (the river)
- Final betting round
- Showdown
- At the showdown for Crazy Pineapple, players may use either:
- Both remaining pocket cards & three boardcards
- One remaining pocket card & four boardcards
- All five boardcards (playing the board)
Extra strategy is involved in Pineapple. For example, you must sometimes decide whether to discard your current "best hand" after the flop in order to potentially draw to an even better hand such as a flush or a straight!
Betting Structure for Crazy Pineapple
There are four possible betting rounds in Crazy Pineapple, shown in the rules above. Each bet and raise during the first two rounds is set at the lower limit of the stakes structure. For example in a $5/$10 game, all bets and raises are $5 for the first two rounds (after pocket cards are dealt and after the flop). Remember, all players must discard one pocket card after the second betting round.
Betting and raising during the last two rounds is set at the higher limit of the stakes structure. Same $5/$10 example; all bets and raises are $10 for the last two rounds (after the turn and after the river).
The maximum allowable number of bets per player during any particular betting round is four. This would consist of (1) a bet, (2) a raise, (3) a re-raise, and (4) a cap. The term cap is used to describe the 3rd raise in a round since betting is then capped and can not be raised anymore. Once the pot is capped, players will have only the option of calling or folding.
Check-raising is allowed in all Paradise Poker games.
Button & Blinds
As with Texas Hold'em and Omaha games, a flat disk is used at the Crazy Pineapple table, called the dealer-button to indicate the theoretical dealer of each hand.
After each hand has completed the button moves clockwise to the next active player. This player will be considered to be playing "the button" for that hand. The player to the left of the button is first to receive a card and is required to post a small blind. The small blind is equal to half the lower limit bet rounded down to the nearest dollar. The player to the left of the small blind is required to post the big blind, equal to the lower limit bet. These blind structure rules are the same as found in brick & mortar cardrooms.
Both blinds are considered live bets, therefore have the option of checking, calling, raising or folding when the betting action returns to their position. After the flop and each subsequent betting round, the first active player left of the button is first to act.
When a player first sits at an active table they'll be required to post the equivalent of the big blind, an important feature of online poker. All players have the option of sitting out and waiting for the actual big blind before starting to play. Fairness is ensured to all players with these rules. By preventing players from constantly entering games in late position and leaving before they're required to post, these rules stop potential abuse of the online environment.
All-in while playing Crazy Pineapple
In the event of an untimely disconnect before the discard and you have an All-In remaining, the computer will automatically discard your worst card at the time of the flop (not taking into consideration possible drawing hands).
